Amazon's way to net-zero carbon continues as a company announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to “support the development” of some nuclear power projects.
“Nuclear is a secure, carbon-free energy source that can help power our operations and meet the growing demands of our customers, while helping us move towards The Climate Promise commitment to have net zero carbon in our operations by 2040,” said Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS), in a statement.
Related: Will it take nuclear power to support AI? Microsoft is betting on it.
The new deal includes the construction of advanced SMRs (small modular reactors) in Washington state that will be “built, owned and operated by Energy Northwest” with the ability to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 770,000 houses. It is also expected to create at least 1,000 temporary construction jobs, according to Energy Northwest.
What is an SMR?
An SMR is an advanced “small modular reactor” with a power capacity of about one-third that of a traditional nuclear power reactor, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. SMRs can produce a large amount of low-carbon electricity.
“We see a need for gigawatts of energy in the coming years and there won't be enough wind and solar projects to meet the needs, and so nuclear is a great opportunity,” Garman told CNBC. “Also, the technology is really advancing to a place with SMR where there will be a new technology that will be safe and that will be easy to manufacture in a much smaller form factor.”
Amazon also announced a deal with the utility company Dominion Energy in Virginia “to explore the development of an SMR project” near Dominion's existing North Side Nuclear Power Station and previously signed an agreement with Talk Energynuclear facility in Pennsylvania, which will directly power Amazon's data centers with “carbon-free energy.”
Related: Google follows Microsoft's lead with nuclear power for AI
Big Tech is going nuclear
Other Big Tech companies have recently announced nuclear deals. Three Mile Island, a nuclear power plant that has been shut down for five years, will reopen by 2028. power Microsoft's data centers. Google, meanwhile, signed an agreement on Monday to buy nuclear power from engineering company Kairos Power until 2030.
Amazon too recently announced that it “matched all electricity consumed by our global operations with 100% renewable energy” – seven years ahead of its original 2030 target.
“One of the fastest ways to address climate change is to transition our society to carbon-free energy sources, and nuclear power is carbon-free and scalable – that's why it's an important area of investment for Amazon,” Garman said. . “Our agreements will encourage the construction of new nuclear technologies that will generate power for decades to come.”